Ispeed

This is an idea that I came up with when I was putting in a new rear shift coupler for somebody.
I took half a shift bushing (from the shifter) and pressed it in on both sides of the oval factory hole in the rear coupler. Cut at a slight flare, so that it won't try to work its way out, and has been in my car for 2500 miles now without incident.
It takes out 90% of the remaining fore/aft movement. I also have the Carl Fawcett front metal ball cup, a DR short shifter, and a new rear coupler.
Anyway, a few people have checked it out and are duly impressed.
A $1 mod, just pull back the rubber boot over the rear coupler and it is done in 10 minutes.

I know that Porsche left some play in the shift set-up for a reason, but they also discontinued the 928 for some reason...

The_Remora

Yes this does work well, great mod! And I've got to give Carl a big thanks for the help working on and improving my car.

Just this past week my shifter regained a bit of forward/aft slop, so either the pieces of bushing shims finally fell out or my front coupler is now shot. I'm guessing the bushings slipped out, I've got to get back up under there to check and fix it. I MUCH prefer how tight it was before to the slop thats back in the shifter now. I may wrap the coupler in hockey tape or something like that to ensure that the shims stay put next time. Again, GREAT mod, cheap and easy and has a big effect on the shifting.

Ispeed

Remora: look up in there before making any calls on that. Your front coupler lock nut was loose too as I recall.

LeRox

I have noticed that there appears to be alot of play/slop in mine as well. It would seem that the new rear coupler install you mentioned didn't take out all or enoungh of the slop you were going for and therefore this shim?


I was also thinking about the short shifter upgrade. Can you tell a big difference once the conversion is done?

Mike Frye

That's pretty cool. I had a similar setup as a temporary fix before I replaced my shift coupler. Some have said that the 'slop' was designed in there as part of the wear item (coupler bushings) so that the tranny would be spared the wear-and-tear as things get slammed around in there. YMMV.

Jim bailey - 928 International

I think that the looseness helps keep the shift forks from riding as hard on the shift sleeves if someone were to keep their hand resting on the shift lever while driving. There are aftermarket 911 bushings made with round holes instead of the factory 928 slotted holes. If you try that be sure that the pin is tight in the center housing after you get done pressing it apart because those big pins can fall out....BTDT the old very brown 1980.....at the track some wire, a bolt , and duct tape... back on track

Ispeed

This topic has been covered before, but I will say it again: the short shifter is the best mod you can do to a 5 speed car (especially for the $$). Apart from that, doing a new front and rear coupler is also totally worth it. The 928 goes from feeling like an '80s throwback (at the shift ****) to feeling like a great piece of machinery (that it is).
All the stuff you touch in normal driving plays a big part in how the car seems to you.

SMTCapeCod

Sounds like a good trick for a demo at a Wilbraham tech session...not that it isn't self-explanatory.

Anyone heard how Tass is doing with his powerplant?

Tass 928

Not to hijack Carl's thread but...old engine is out, "new" engine is ready to go in. I am at the beach this week so no 928 fun for me. When I get back I'll finish cleaning and then paint my engine bay. I want the car back on it's feet for the Boston gig. We are talking about another Wilbraham tech session sometime in October. I'll put up a thread when we get a little closer

We now return you to the sloppy coupler discussion

Bus

I didn't like the designed in slop either.

I replaced the stock 12mm pin with a piece of 1/2" (12.7mm) drill rod. Redrilled the center piece and reassembled. I like the feel of it much better now, but I would still like to do the upgrade to a heim joint instead of the ball and cup up front.

Stromius

My short shifter mod was a night and day difference in my 88. My shifter would throw to the console frame which is nice not to have to deal with. I got mine from Roger but surely any of the sponsors' short shifter is a great idea. I need replace the bushings on the rear couper as my next project. Luckily the front shows no fore/aft movement but I may need to go to the milled front so I don't have to think about it ever again.

Shifts are obvioulsy quicker. It took a bit of getting used to because of the long throw before.